Advertise on podcast: The Hopeaholics

How Addiction Nearly Killed Three Sisters w/ Amanda Crossley | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Amanda Crossley shares her raw and unforgettable story of addiction, survival, and recovery—from growing up in New Jersey, stealing pills while working in a pharmacy, and descending into heroin use alongside her two sisters, to writing a desperate letter to Doctor Phil that ultimately changed all of their lives. Amanda opens up about the chaos of addiction, the pain her family endured, being exposed on national television, and how that moment became the turning point that led her to long-term sobriety, rebuilding relationships, and finding purpose by recovering out loud. This episode is an honest, emotional look at addiction as a family disease and a testament to what’s possible when secrets end and recovery begins. Amanda also reflects on early sobriety, facing legal consequences, and learning how to build a new life from the ground up. Her story highlights the power of community, accountability, and saying yes to help even when it’s uncomfortable. If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode is a reminder that recovery is possible and hope is never out of reach. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #addictionrecovery  #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:03:20 - Growing Up in New Jersey and East Coast Mentality 00:05:00 - Family Background and Sisters’ Addiction 00:06:54 - First Experience With OxyContin 00:07:35 - Stealing and Selling Pills While Working in a Pharmacy 00:11:54 - First Time Using Heroin After Being Caught 00:14:43 - First Treatment Experience at Age 22 00:16:12 - Moving to Florida With Her Sister and Rapid Decline 00:18:21 - All Three Sisters Using Under Parents’ Roof 00:21:31 - Writing the Letter to Doctor Phil 00:22:32 - Doctor Phil Producers Call Two Years Later 00:24:27 - Filming Doctor Phil and Parents Seeing Everything 00:25:56 - Sent to Treatment and Sobriety Begins 00:28:01 - Sisters’ Sobriety and Family Today 00:34:31 - Life After Treatment and Commitment to Recovery

Facing a Life Sentence After Getting Sober w/ Vinsent Franke | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this intense and deeply emotional episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Vinsent Franke shares a raw, unfiltered account of trauma, addiction, crime, faith, and recovery that spans decades. He opens up about early childhood exposure to drugs and alcohol, severe abuse that shattered trust, and a life split between discipline and chaos that fueled addiction from a young age. Vinsent details his descent into drug dealing, violence, incarceration, and psychosis, alongside moments of extreme loss, including the addiction and struggles of his son and the unbearable weight of parental guilt. The conversation takes a powerful turn as he recounts a profound spiritual experience that ended his addiction overnight while facing a potential life sentence just days into sobriety. From navigating insanity defenses and jail time to becoming a therapist, pastor, and recovery leader, this episode explores the intersection of trauma, spirituality, accountability, and grace. It’s a gripping story about surviving the darkest corners of addiction, confronting generational pain, and finding purpose through recovery, service, and faith. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:03:31 - Clean and sober since 2004 00:04:55 - First drink at nine years old 00:05:52 - First time getting high as a child 00:09:56 - Childhood abuse and betrayal by a stepfather 00:11:20 - Discovering his mother married another abuser 00:14:45 - Finding Charles Manson letters in his mother’s possession 00:18:09 - Starting drug distribution to survive 00:19:20 - Being told to grow his own weed at thirteen 00:20:30 - Paying for an abortion and emotional collapse 00:23:12 - First time smoking cocaine 00:26:48 - Meeting his son for the first time in prison 00:28:42 - Abandoning his son while deep in addiction 00:31:31 - Prescription pills leading to heroin 00:33:21 - Refusing to force his son into treatment 00:34:53 - Son in psychosis calling from the hospital 00:35:46 - Spiritual experience that ended his addiction 00:39:08 - Facing a life sentence days into sobriety 00:39:57 - Acquitted after insanity and diminished capacity defense 00:41:23 - Realizing recovery is spiritual warfare 00:44:18 - Becoming a pastor after addiction and prison 00:48:26 - Discovering sober living operators using drugs 00:49:05 - Starting and running sober living homes

Why Money, Power, and Women Didn’t Fix the Pain with Michael Lynch | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this raw and powerful episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Michael Lynch sits down to share an unfiltered story of survival, addiction, crime, success, and redemption. From growing up in foster care and running the streets, to building a viral underground fight empire funded by prison hustles, Michael opens up about the rise that came with money, fame, and excess—and the quiet collapse that followed through alcoholism, isolation, and the brink of suicide. He speaks candidly about manipulation, power, broken relationships, and how alcohol nearly destroyed everything drugs never could. The conversation takes a dramatic turn as Michael recounts being raided just days after deciding to end his life, leading to jail, a fight for freedom, and an unexpected introduction to recovery that ultimately saved him. This episode dives deep into the psychology of addiction, the illusion of success, prison life, spiritual awakening, and what real transformation looks like after hitting bottom. It’s an intense, honest, and inspiring story about losing everything, surrendering control, and finding purpose in helping others find their way out. #thehopeaholics  #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:01:30 - Foster care and growing up in the system 00:02:41 - First hustle at ten years old 00:03:24 - Felony Fights origins 00:04:13 - Felony Fights explodes worldwide 00:08:23 - Addiction taking over during success 00:09:27 - Drug money funding Felony Fights 00:10:28 - Discovering he was about to be a father in prison 00:12:44 - Going from prison to best-selling DVDs 00:14:04 - Alcohol becoming the real downfall 00:19:20 - Realizing money and power were fools gold 00:22:03 - Why recovery was harder than prison 00:23:49 - Choosing to help addicts instead of hustling 00:24:37 - Facing a life sentence as the three-strikes poster boy 00:25:13 - Planning to commit suicide at the height of success 00:26:17 - Being raided instead of killing himself 00:28:16 - Clean date and sobriety begins 00:30:28 - Denial and watching life collapse 00:31:49 - Sabotaging love and pushing everyone away 00:34:20 - Finding recovery while fighting a life sentence 00:38:24 - Impact jail program saves his life 00:41:58 - Learning the steps and surrendering control 00:42:52 - Belief that the darkest stories do the most good

Bare Knuckle Fighting Addiction with Brooke Evans| The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Brooke Evans shares her unfiltered journey through addiction, trauma, and recovery, revealing the stark contrast between outward strength and inner struggle. A competitive fighter and athlete, Brooke opens up about using drugs and alcohol while training, escalating into heroin addiction, public injection, relapse after periods of sobriety, and moments where survival felt uncertain. She speaks candidly about motherhood, the guilt and motivation tied to her son, and the spiritual turning points that helped shift her path when she believed she was beyond saving. Brooke’s story dives into relapse triggers, the reality of losing control once substances are introduced, and the courage it takes to choose sobriety daily. This episode is an honest look at resilience, accountability, and the hope that can still emerge even after repeated setbacks. Brooke also reflects on how discipline in recovery replaced chaos with structure and purpose. She shares hard-earned insight into recognizing warning signs before relapse takes hold. #thehopeaholics  #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:01:27 - Fighting Through Extreme Pain in Bare Knuckle Boxing 00:02:36 - Her Son Becoming Her Biggest Supporter 00:06:07 - Using Drugs While Competing as a Fighter 00:07:00 - Training and Running While Using Heroin 00:10:35 - First Time Getting Drunk in Sixth Grade 00:11:42 - Blacking Out Regularly as a Teen 00:16:26 - Reaching Over Six Years of Sobriety 00:18:48 - Relapsing After Taking Diet Pills 00:19:42 - Realizing Substances Take Control Once Used 00:21:01 - Being Triggered After Dental Surgery 00:22:49 - Refusing Fentanyl During Surgery 00:28:28 - Leaving Detox to Go Get High 00:31:11 - Injecting Drugs in Public at a Gas Station 00:36:01 - “God Sent Me to You” Moment 00:40:40 - Admitting She Didn’t Believe She Could Get Sober

Growing Up in Chaos and Choosing Sobriety with Jasper Wilkins | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this raw and deeply emotional episode, Jasper Wilkins shares his life story of growing up in chaos, addiction, and trauma, and how those experiences ultimately led him to the brink of death before finding recovery. Jasper opens up about being raised by parents battling substance use, enduring neglect, sexual abuse, and repeated loss, including the devastating death of his mother to addiction. He recounts years of numbing pain with opiates, surviving an overdose, and reaching a moment where asking for help became a matter of life or death. Through sobriety, Jasper began confronting long-buried trauma, learning forgiveness, and discovering purpose in helping others who feel unseen and hopeless. His story is a powerful testament to resilience, the impact of reaching out for help, and the possibility of breaking generational cycles of addiction. Jasper also reflects on how recovery restored his ability to feel, connect, and truly live for the first time. He speaks to the daily choice of sobriety and the responsibility that comes with surviving when so many do not. This episode serves as a reminder that even at rock bottom, hope can still find you. #thehopeaholics  #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:07:17 - Parents in Prison and Alcoholism From the Start 00:09:29 - Being Left on His Mom’s Doorstep 00:11:00 - Asking Why His Parents Couldn’t Choose Him 00:11:37 - Realizing He Never Truly Forgave His Mom 00:16:43 - Finding the Podcast While Praying for Help 00:17:35 - Texting for Help at 3 AM Knowing He Would Die 00:18:59 - Overdosing at Work 00:21:03 - Breaking Down in Front of His Family 00:22:01 - Saying the Podcast Saved His Life 00:26:11 - Finding His Mother After She Died 00:27:17 - Learning His Mom Had a Rehab Date Scheduled 00:29:29 - Trauma and Nightmares That Drove His Addiction 00:33:02 - Being Sexually Abused and Not Believed 00:36:18 - Living Without Food, Water, or Safety as a Child 00:31:22 - Surviving When He Should Not Be Alive

The Downward Spiral of Addiction with Ashleigh Ethridge | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful and deeply vulnerable episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Ashleigh Ethridge shares her full story of addiction, recovery, and spiritual awakening, offering an unfiltered look at how alcoholism can quietly take over a life that once appeared stable and successful. She walks through her early years, the influence of the LA nightlife and service industry, and how drinking slowly evolved from social fun into daily survival, leading to blackout episodes, escalating drug use, and a complete loss of control. Ashleigh recounts terrifying experiences with withdrawal seizures, alcohol-induced psychosis, and the physical deterioration that came with drinking around the clock, including moments where she knew she was dying yet still resisted help. She opens up about the role of shame, denial, and toxic relationships in keeping her trapped, as well as the emotional toll addiction took on her family—especially the moment she called her mother from the floor of her apartment, unable to save herself. The episode also explores her journey into treatment, the fear of starting over in her thirties, and the difficult but necessary inner work that followed, including therapy, rebuilding her faith, and confronting the deeper wounds beneath the drinking. Through honesty, humility, and reflection, Ashleigh shares how recovery restored her sense of purpose, healed fractured relationships, and gave her a life she never thought possible, making this episode a raw, hopeful testament to what can happen when someone finally surrenders and chooses to live. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:03:42 - First Time Drinking and the Anxiety That Followed 00:05:38 - Parents’ Divorce and the Beginning of the Spiral 00:08:33 - Falling in Love With the LA Party Scene 00:10:06 - First Time Cocaine and Molly in the Hollywood Hills 00:11:03 - Life Becomes One Long Party Cycle 00:12:25 - Reporting Her Own Car Stolen While Blacked Out 00:15:14 - Realizing the Car Was Never Stolen 00:19:42 - Selling Everything to Move to Mexico 00:22:18 - Drinking Half the Inventory as a Manager 00:25:14 - Looking in the Mirror and Not Recognizing Herself 00:26:01 - Living Next to the Cecil Hotel 00:27:21 - Drinking Just to Function and Get to Work 00:28:45 - Two Bottles of Liquor a Night 00:31:18 - First Withdrawal Seizure Behind the Bar 00:33:23 - Second Seizure and Waking Up on the Floor 00:35:21 - DTs and Seeing Demons in Her Apartment 00:37:46 - Finding Peace Sitting Outside a Church 00:38:34 - Thirty Days Sober and Deciding to Drink Again 00:39:04 - Final Seizure and Calling Her Mom for Help 00:40:30 - Realizing She Never Wants to Feel This Way Again 00:40:54 - Entering Treatment on Medi-Cal 00:42:51 - Choosing to Stay for 60 Days 00:43:10 - Feeling Her Grandparents’ Pre

Geoffrey Blaylock Returns: The Information That's Gap Killing Addicts | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful return episode, Geoffrey Blaylock comes back to the Hopeaholics Podcast to continue the conversation on addiction as a brain-based disease, diving even deeper into the realities that families and individuals often misunderstand. Building on his previous appearance, he expands on trauma, attachment, and epigenetics, while challenging outdated intervention models and the damaging belief that addiction is simply a choice. He explains how impaired decision-making, toxic shame, and nervous system dysregulation keep people trapped in cycles of relapse and self-destruction. Through compelling analogies and real-world clinical examples, he clarifies why education is one of the most critical tools in saving lives. Geoffrey also discusses how addiction affects not just the individual, but entire family systems, often pulling loved ones into their own form of emotional dysregulation. The conversation emphasizes the importance of compassion without enabling, accountability without punishment, and support rooted in neuroscience rather than fear. Check out Geoffrey's First Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeJN23-Gsx4 #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:03:17 - Subjective vs Objective Decision Making 00:04:29 - Critique of Traditional Intervention Model 00:06:03 - Memory-Based Intervention Approach 00:07:13 - Frontal Cortex Shutdown in Addiction 00:09:32 - Toxic Shame and Fight-or-Flight 00:17:39 - Is Addiction a Choice or a Disease 00:18:50 - Who Would Choose Skid Row 00:19:32 - Addiction as a Brain Disease 00:20:15 - What Makes Us Human and the Frontal Cortex 00:21:14 - Education Creates Empathy 00:23:01 - Why Addiction Is Not Purely Genetic 00:24:03 - Epigenetics Explained 00:26:16 - Cultural Trauma and Addiction Myths 00:29:15 - Identical Twins With Different Outcomes 00:32:22 - Why Children Self-Medicate 00:34:57 - Addiction as a Disease of Decision Making 00:37:34 - Donuts, Dopamine, and Survival Brain 00:39:12 - Unacceptable Lack of Addiction Education 00:41:07 - Attachment and Early Development 00:43:18 - Toxic Ownership and Core Beliefs 00:48:19 - Trauma Profiles and Identity Formation

Mommy Wine Culture Hid Her Addiction w/ Olivia Flynn | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this raw and deeply moving episode of the Hopeholics Podcast, Olivia Flynn shares her journey through generational addiction, early exposure to alcohol, and the quiet ways substance use became normalized long before anyone called it a problem, opening up about growing up with an alcoholic father, getting drunk for the first time and feeling relief, how bartending culture fueled addiction, and the internal unraveling that led to pregnancy, custody battles, and a moment driving home when she no longer wanted to live, before describing the turning point of admitting she was an alcoholic, praying to a God she didn’t yet believe in, and experiencing a radical shift through faith that led not only to sobriety but to confronting hidden addictions like weed, dismantling “mommy wine” culture, releasing shame tied to motherhood, and ultimately breaking generational cycles for her daughters while redefining what real freedom, healing, and identity look like beyond abstinence alone. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:03:51 - Growing up with an alcoholic father 00:04:44 - Drinking normalized at twelve years old 00:05:01 - First time getting drunk and feeling relief 00:06:43 - Bartending culture normalizing addiction 00:08:11 - Getting pregnant and staying sober during pregnancy 00:09:07 - Custody battle triggering relapse patterns 00:09:41 - Driving home and wanting to die 00:09:59 - Praying to a God she didn’t believe in 00:12:04 - Admitting “I’m an alcoholic” to her mom 00:13:13 - Baptism and sudden freedom from alcohol 00:18:38 - Confronting toxic mommy-wine culture 00:31:54 - Realizing weed replaced alcohol as addiction 00:34:31 - Deliverance session and quitting weed 00:44:56 - Breaking generational addiction for her daughters

How Denial Keeps Addiction Alive w/ Anthony Zorzetto | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful episode of the Hopeholics Podcast, Anthony Zorzetto shares an unfiltered story of addiction, identity loss, and rebuilding from the ground up as casual drinking and recreational drug use slowly spiral into full-blown addiction alongside a failing marriage, a collapsing construction business, and overwhelming financial pressure, opening up about how substances stopped being social and became a means of survival, the false confidence addiction gave him, ignoring warning signs from banks and loved ones, and the moment he found himself unable to afford even basic necessities, all while reflecting on the painful contrast between who he once was — disciplined, driven, and convinced addiction could never touch him — and the reality of hitting rock bottom, discovering hidden family history with addiction, and ultimately choosing sobriety, responsibility, and fatherhood as the foundation for a new life built on honesty, accountability, and hope. #thehopeaholics  #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:12:44 - Getting sober shortly after meeting his partner 00:13:01 - Accidentally getting married too young 00:13:17 - Addiction worsening as marriage deteriorates 00:13:35 - Cocaine shifting from recreational to coping mechanism 00:14:17 - Using drugs to escape business and marriage collapse 00:14:32 - Living parallel addictions inside the marriage 00:23:01 - Discovering hidden family history of opioid addiction 00:24:06 - Construction business failure accelerating 00:25:14 - Cocaine creating a false sense of power and control 00:25:23 - Ignoring bank warnings and financial reality 00:25:58 - Unable to afford basic necessities 00:26:00 - Being left alone after his wife walks out 00:26:17 - Confronting the contrast between past discipline and addiction 00:30:33 - Anger at entitlement and loss of personal responsibility

"GETTING SOBER AT 17 NEARLY BROKE ME" w/ Teddy Tarantino | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this episode, Teddy Tarantino shares his raw and unfiltered journey from severe addiction at a young age to more than 17 years of sobriety. Getting clean at just 17 years old, Teddy built a disciplined recovery foundation that led him to open a successful treatment center in his mid-20s, helping countless people find their way out of addiction. Along the way, he navigated complex questions around identity, sexuality, ambition, and purpose, ultimately transitioning into a successful career in adult entertainment while remaining deeply committed to recovery, therapy, and personal growth. Teddy speaks candidly about addiction, recovery culture, stigma, self-honesty, and what it means to build a life that is both authentic and responsible, offering a powerful perspective on long-term sobriety, reinvention, and staying true to yourself. He also reflects on childhood trauma, early exposure to drugs, and the moment that finally shifted his commitment to recovery. The conversation explores how discipline, service, and self-awareness have shaped his evolution over the years. This episode offers insight for anyone questioning their path, redefining success, or seeking hope through radical honesty and accountability. #thehopeaholics  #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:02:23 - 17 Years of Sobriety 00:05:47 - Never Missing a Meeting 00:06:05 - Getting Clean Before Adulthood 00:07:49 - Falling Deeply in Love 00:11:18 - First Male Escort Experience 00:13:35 - Turning Adult Content Into Art 00:15:39 - Opening a Treatment Center at 25 00:18:46 - First Viral Porn Video 00:23:22 - Deleting Everything for Integrity 00:24:56 - Personality Test Sparks Career Crisis 00:27:23 - Leaving the Treatment Center 00:39:22 - First Time Smoking Crack at 14 00:42:42 - Ray’s Share That Changed Everything

The Version of Him That Couldn’t Survive w/ Dave Puhky | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful one-on-one conversation, Dave Puhky shares a brutally honest look at how alcohol quietly became the center of his life, blurring the line between control and collapse. What started as normal drinking slowly evolved into isolation, secrecy, and crossing boundaries he once swore he never would, all while trying to convince everyone around him that he had everything handled. Dave opens up about hiding his drinking, facing serious consequences, and the moment his family confronted a truth he could no longer deny. He walks through the fear and uncertainty of entering treatment, the physical and emotional toll of withdrawal, and the humility required to finally ask for help. This episode captures the raw reality of addiction and the hard-won decision to choose recovery, offering a message of hope for anyone struggling in silence. Dave also reflects on rebuilding trust one day at a time and learning how to live without alcohol as a coping mechanism. His story highlights how accountability, support, and honesty can change the trajectory of a life. Above all, it’s a reminder that recovery is possible, even when it feels too late. #thehopeaholics  #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:02:56 - You don’t owe disrespectful people anything 00:03:31 - Social media haters and secret supporters 00:05:27 - Life before social media and starting a podcast 00:06:33 - Disconnecting from phones and rediscovering creativity 00:07:10 - The danger of constant consumption over creation 00:10:56 - Retreats, hard resets, and reclaiming creativity 00:11:21 - What got Dave into social media 00:12:23 - Fitness as a mask and mental biceps 00:13:45 - Teaching self-worth and mindset in the gym 00:15:21 - Getting sober after hitting a breaking point 00:16:38 - Hatred as proof you’re doing the right thing 00:19:45 - Rehab at 20 and early sobriety attempts 00:21:22 - Getting sober for yourself, not others 00:22:35 - Choosing authenticity over approval 00:23:17 - Hate as a form of admiration 00:25:22 - Subtraction over addition in life choices 00:27:40 - Victim mentality versus personal responsibility 00:31:59 - Bad moments versus a bad life 00:36:24 - Giving what you have even on low-energy days 00:38:54 - Enjoying the view instead of chasing destinations 00:41:43 - Falling in love with the process over outcomes

When Drinking Becomes a Daily Requirement w/ Mike Schuab | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this deeply personal episode, Mike Schuab shares an unfiltered account of how alcohol gradually took control of his life while he worked tirelessly to convince everyone—including himself—that everything was fine. What began as normal social drinking slowly evolved into secretive behavior, isolation, and a daily reliance on alcohol just to feel steady, leading to broken relationships, constant lying, and an overwhelming sense of shame. Mike walks through the moments when drinking stopped being fun and started feeling necessary, the fear of being exposed, and the painful realization that his life was shrinking around his addiction. He opens up about confronting his family, facing the possibility of losing everything he cared about, and finally surrendering by walking into treatment emotionally exhausted and out of options. This conversation dives into the emotional toll of addiction, the mental gymnastics of denial, and the relief that comes with radical honesty. Mike also reflects on the difficult process of learning how to live, cope, and find meaning without alcohol, and how recovery forced him to rebuild trust one day at a time. This episode is a powerful reminder that addiction doesn’t always look dramatic on the outside—but the internal struggle can be just as devastating—and that real change begins the moment someone admits they need help. #thehopeaholics   #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:01:12 – Growing Up Around Alcohol and Chaos 00:05:48 – First Time Drinking Changes Everything 00:09:31 – Realizing He Can’t Drink Like Other People 00:13:06 – Drinking Becomes the Solution to Everything 00:17:42 – Alcohol Turns Into an Everyday Requirement 00:22:15 – Lying to Everyone While Falling Apart 00:27:08 – Drinking Alone and Hiding Bottles 00:31:54 – The Moment He Knows He’s Out of Control 00:36:29 – Family Finally Sees How Bad It Is 00:41:03 – Consequences Catch Up All at Once 00:46:18 – Facing the Reality of Losing Everything 00:50:42 – Saying “I Can’t Do This Anymore” 00:55:09 – Walking Into Treatment Broken 01:02:37 – Learning to Live Without Alcohol 01:11:44 – Finding Purpose Through Recovery

The Inner Shift That Ends the Need to Escape with Jay Stinnett | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful and deeply reflective episode, longtime sober member, historian, spiritual teacher, and filmmaker Jay Stinnett shares an extraordinary journey that spans addiction, surrender, awakening, and a lifetime of conscious spiritual practice. With more than four decades of continuous sobriety, Jay recounts hitting bottom at a young age, walking into his first recovery meeting broken and desperate, and experiencing a profound inner shift that changed him on a cellular level. He explores addiction as a spiritual malady, the illusion that something outside ourselves can make us whole, and how true healing comes through rigorous honesty, amends, service, prayer, and meditation. The conversation weaves through raw personal stories of early recovery, sponsorship, marriage, grief, and loss, while also diving into the deeper spiritual roots of the recovery movement and the importance of conscious contact with a higher power. Jay also shares the remarkable story behind producing the award-winning documentary Bill W: Conscious Contact, including risking everything to tell a story he felt spiritually called to share. This episode is a moving testament to faith, resilience, creativity, and the idea that a fully lived life—no matter how painful or beautiful—is the greatest spiritual adventure of all. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:01:31 - Sober Since May 2nd, 1979 00:04:43 - Alcoholism as a Spiritual Malady 00:05:20 - The First Drink and the Unitive Experience 00:08:22 - Addiction as the Illusion Something Outside Makes Us Whole 00:13:47 - Arrests, Living in a Pinto, and Knowing the Jig Was Up 00:15:53 - Told to Choose AA or Die Trying 00:17:34 - Walking Into His First AA Meeting 00:19:28 - “You Don’t Ever Have to Feel This Way Again” 00:20:28 - Changed on a Cellular Level and Never Picking Up Again 00:26:37 - Listening to the Inner Voice for the First Time 00:28:35 - First Prayer and Spiritual Surrender 00:32:09 - Sponsoring Someone at 28 Days Sober 00:36:48 - Choosing Not to Act in Pain During Marriage Crisis 01:02:05 - Betting His Home to Tell the Story

Breaking the Cycle of Addiction as a Family w/ Rafael & Nodia | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this emotionally charged episode, Rafael and Nodia sit side by side to share a raw, multi-generational story of addiction, denial, fear, and ultimately healing. What begins as Rafael’s attempt to escape the shadow of his past and Nodia’s effort to prove control through drinking spirals into cocaine, meth, psychosis, DUIs, hospitalizations, and moments where death or prison felt inevitable. Together, they recount confrontations, crashes, paranoia, and the terrifying realization that the same disease was quietly repeating itself within their family. Through brutal honesty, they unpack the pain, resentment, and misunderstandings that once defined their relationship, and how recovery reshaped everything. This episode goes far beyond sobriety—it’s a powerful testament to accountability, forgiveness, and the life-changing impact of choosing recovery not just for yourself, but for the people you love most. It captures the fear of watching someone you love disappear and the hope that comes when they finally ask for help. Their conversation reveals how recovery can reopen communication that once felt impossible. It also shows how shared vulnerability can rebuild trust where silence and anger once lived. #thehopeaholics  #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:06:06 – “I Swore I’d Never Be Like My Dad” 00:08:27 – Cocaine Enters His Life Right Before Christmas 00:09:40 – Snorting Cocaine Before a Solo Night Drive 00:11:18 – Lost on the Freeway While High and Euphoric 00:13:31 – Armed, Paranoid, and Convinced People Were After Him 00:17:52 – Parents Show Up and the Secret Is Over 00:18:35 – Selling His Businesses to Go to Rehab 00:19:44 – Finding Out He’s Having a Baby While in Rehab 00:23:59 – Smoking Crystal Meth for the First Time 00:25:49 – Trapped in a Dark House With a Naked Stranger 00:35:52 – Found Wandering the Streets in His Underwear 00:53:36 – First Drink Ends in the Hospital 00:54:38 – Second Hospitalization Sparks Resentment 00:57:37 – Crashing Into a Jail Gate During a DUI 01:01:26 – First DUI at 21 Years Old 01:02:29 – Suicidal Thoughts After Second DUI 01:04:09 – Nearly Hitting a Bus While Drunk 01:11:28 – Finally Saying “Yes” to Treatment 01:38:51 – Father Says He’s Finally Getting to Know His Daughter 01:40:05 – Realizing Her Father Was Only Trying to Help

“HEROIN ALMOST TOOK MY LIFE” w/ David Cohen | The Hopeaholics Podcast In this powerful episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, a raw and unfiltered story of survival takes center stage as David Cohen shares the gripping truth of his journey through addiction, chaos, and redemption. From forging prescriptions on Windows 95 to surviving a near-fatal heroin overdose that left him in a coma for days, his life spiraled through crime, crack houses, and moments where death felt inches away. But through unimaginable lows came a turning point—one sparked by family intervention, a gritty county-funded rehab, and a candlelit meeting that hit him with the same force as his first high. David’s transformation from a young man chasing destruction to a clinical leader helping others fight the same battle is nothing short of extraordinary. This episode delivers gut-wrenching honesty, dramatic moments, and the undeniable proof that recovery is real, possible, and powerful. Tune in to hear how grit, grace, and relentless willingness can pull someone from the darkest depths into a life of purpose. His story is a reminder that no one is too far gone to rise again. If you need hope, this episode delivers it in every minute. #thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarie Join our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics  Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off! Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics  https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholics Buy Merch:  https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.com Visit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.com If you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.  Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC: https://www.infinitigroupllc.com  Timestamps: 00:19:38 – David’s Heart Stops After First Heroin Injection 00:20:12 – David Wakes Up From a 4–5 Day Overdose Coma 00:14:25 – Creating Fake Prescriptions Using Windows 95 00:17:11 – Shooting Up a Friend First to “Test” New Drugs 00:18:25 – Sliding From Pills Into Heroin and Crack Addiction 00:21:41 – Car Radiator Explodes While He’s High, Dealers Run 00:22:28 – Using His Broken Car as a “Mobile Office” to Get High 00:22:40 – Returning to Find His Car Stripped and Eventually Gone 00:23:08 – Father Confronts Him: “You’ve Changed So Much… We Don’t Know What to Do” 00:24:40 – Mother Bravely Tells Her Boss Her Son Is a Heroin Addict 00:25:58 – Candlelight AA Meeting Hits Him Like His First High 00:26:17 – David Realizes He Must Recover With Hardened Ex-Convicts 00:28:59 – Relapse Into Black Tar Heroin After Moving to Venice 00:29:25 – Waking Up Beside a Mysterious Man Who Tells Him to Go Home 00:30:26 – Returning Home in Psychosis With Only 10 Days Clean